We live in a much different world than people in the early 1900s.
Then, it was common for people to get their food supply from farms and nearby markets. Fast forward to today - while there are still many farms, most communities rely more on their local grocery store than the farmers' market. But there is an increasing trend to return to foods that are more natural, less processed, and contain more nutrients.
You'll find a variety of food and beverages on the shelf today that are fortified or enriched with vitamins. What does that mean? How natural is it, and is it bad for our health?
According to the World Health Organization, fortification is the practice of deliberately increasing the content of one or more vitamins and minerals in food or condiment to improve the nutritional quality of the food supply and provide a public health benefit with minimal health risk. Enriched foods are processed food that loses their nutrients during milling, grinding, pasteurization, or other processes, and then the nutrients are added back to the product.
The fortification and enrichment of food begin years back to provide people with the nutrients they need at a lower price. Vitamin D is now added to milk, increasing its nutritional value. So do we still need natural sunlight?
We should stick to natural sources of nutrients when we can, but the fact is, that's only feasible for some. For example, working a 9 am-5 pm job during winter may allow 45 minutes of sunlight as we travel back and forth to work and home.
As people, our lifestyles are changing - so our nutrient sources are changing. Manufacturers are adding more nutrients to foods to give them more appeal and get us the nutrients we need without buying them from other sources. The best choice we can make is to be informed about the food products we're purchasing and to know the nutrients our body needs.
Ask your doctor for a mineral panel; It provides insight into vitamin and mineral deficiencies.
Our bodies need various nutrients and a certain amount to function well. When we don't have an adequate amount or too much, it impacts our health, with the potential to cause deficiencies and diseases.
Commonly Fortified Foods
Almond milk - fortified with Calcium
Cereal - fortified with B vitamins, Calcium, and Vitamin D
Milk - fortified with Vitamin D for calcium absorption
Orange juice - fortified with Vitamin D
Salt - fortified with iodine
Commonly Enriched Food
White Rice - enriched with B vitamins
White Flour - enriched with B vitamins and iron
Source: (1) World Health Organization: Food Fortification (2) Medical Dictionary: Enriched Food (3) National Library of Medicine: Vitamin Food Fortification Today